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Who is the referee?

The man in the middle is Mike Dean. Cast your mind back 12 months ago when City again opened the Premier League with the early kick-off match at Hull, when Leicester lost 2-1. Who was the ref that day? None other than Mr Dean. Let’s hope it’s not an omen.

Mike Dean during Leicester's defeat at Hull last season (Image: Getty Images)

What is the team news?

City’s summer signing Vicente Iborra will not make his debut after suffering a groin strain in training. The Spaniard joins fellow central midfielder Danny Drinkwater on the sidelines.

Robert Huth is also out as he recovers from surgery on ankle injury, but the good news is that £25million striker Kelechi Iheanacho is fit despite taking a knock against Borussia Monchengladbach a week ago. Harry Maguire is all set to make his City debut, too.

Arsenal have confirmed that Alexis Sanchez will play no part after the Chilean suffered an abdominal strain in training. Key midfielders Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey remain injury doubts, as does defender Per Mertesacker, who was forced off in last Sunday's Community Shield win over Chelsea. Fellow defender Laurent Koscielny is suspended.

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What are the stats?

Leicester have not beaten Arsenal in the Premier League – or indeed anywhere – for more than 20 years. City last tasted victory with a 2-1 win at Filbert Street in November 1994.

Since then, it’s been all Arsenal, who have won 14 of the 21 league meetings between the two sides, with seven draws. The Gunners have also scored 48 goals in those 21 matches, compared to City’s paltry 15. It doesn’t bode well based on these stats.

To rub salt into the wounds, Leicester have not won at Arsenal in the league since a 2-0 victory in September 1973, when the likes of Peter Shilton, Keith Weller, Frank Worthington and a certain Alan Birchenall were in the City team.

What are the odds?

Arsenal are, unsurprisingly, the overwhelming favourites at 1-2 with almost all the bookmakers. If you feel tonight is the night for City to end their Arsenal hoodoo, you can get 5-1 at Ladbrokes and Coral, but it’s pretty much 11-2 everywhere else. If you fancy a draw, then most bookies are offering odds of 7-2.